Recorded presentation

Ana Martinez-Donate, PhD¹, Melbourne F. Hovell, PhD, MPH¹, Marc Anthony Adams, MPH¹, Jose De Jesus Sanchez², Margarita Viņas², Gabriela Guzman¹, Jesus R. Gonzalez¹, Ernesto Moreno-Almaraz¹, M. Guadalupe Sanchez-Hernandez¹, and Oscar I. Jimenez-Garcia¹. (1) Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health, San Diego State University, 9245 Sky Park Court, Suite 230, San Diego, CA 92123, 858-505-4770 x111, amartinez@projects.sdsu.edu, (2) Department of Psychology, Universidad Autonoma de Baja California, Campus Tijuana, Tijuana, Mexico

Tijuana and San Diego are twin cities at either sides of the US-Mexico border. The minimal tobacco control efforts in Mexico contrast strikingly with the comprehensive and effective California tobacco control program. As a result of the proximity and high degree of interaction between Tijuana and San Diego residents, the effects of the California program may have permeated the Mexican border city, yielding lower rates of smoking and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) among Tijuana residents as compared to other Mexican regions. This paper presents the results of a probabilistic survey on tobacco use, ETS exposure, and residential policies on smoking among the Tijuana adult population. From June 2003 to May 2004, a household survey was carried out in Tijuana using a probabilistic sampling frame. A total of 400 adults were surveyed on current smoking, history of tobacco use, exposure to ETS, and use of home bans on smoking. A response rate of 66.5% was achieved. Weighted estimates for the overall adult population and for specific gender and age groups were computed. An estimated 23.7% (95% CI: 19.5-27.9) of the adult residents in Tijuana are current smokers, while 16.2% (95% CI: 12.6-19.9) are former smokers. Approximately 51.3% (95% CI: 46.3-56.2) of Tijuana adults are regularly exposed to ETS, even though 65.5% (95% CI: 60.8-70.2) of them live in a home where no smoking is allowed. These results are interpreted in the context of available estimates from Mexico and Latinos in the U.S. Implications for international tobacco control are discussed.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to

• Describe the prevalence of smoking, ETS exposure, and home policies in the border city of Tijuana;
• Construct measures to assess tobacco use, ETS exposure, and home policies;
• Discuss the potential transborder effects of U.S. tobacco control programs.

Keywords: Smoking, Environmental Exposures

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation